Washington to get more National Guard troops

WASHINGTON

Three Republican-led states said on Aug. 16 that they were deploying hundreds of National Guard members to the nation's capital to bolster the Donald Trump administration's effort to overhaul policing in Washington through a federal crackdown on crime and homelessness.

West Virginia said it was deploying 300 to 400 Guard troops, while South Carolina pledged 200 and Ohio says it will send 150 in the coming days, marking a significant escalation of the federal intervention.

The moves came as protesters pushed back on federal law enforcement and National Guard troops fanning out in the heavily Democratic city following President Donald Trump's executive order federalizing local police forces and activating about 800 District of Columbia National Guard members.

National Guard members have played a limited role in the federal intervention so far, and it's unclear why additional troops are needed. They have been patrolling at landmarks like the National Mall and Union Station and assisting law enforcement with tasks including crowd control.

A protest against Trump's intervention drew scores to Dupont Circle on Aug. 16 before a march to the White House, about 1.5 miles away. Demonstrators assembled behind a banner that said, "No fascist takeover of D.C.," and some in the crowd held signs saying, "No military occupation."

Federal agents have appeared in some of the city's most highly trafficked neighborhoods, garnering a mix of praise, pushback and alarm from local residents and leaders across the country.